Senate pushes bill proposing fine, jail for parents who default in providing kids with education

A bill that will make primary and secondary education compulsory in Nigeria, passed the first reading in the Senate during plenary on Friday.

The bill proposed by Senator Orji Uzor Kalu titled ‘Compulsory free Universal Basic Education Act 2004, Section 2,’ recommends a fine of N50,000 or a jail term for parents who “default in providing their children with primary and secondary school education.”

Other provisions of the bill states that government at all levels in the country “shall provide free, compulsory and universal basic education for every child of primary and junior secondary school age ” as well as the “provision of free meals for every child in the country.”

It further stipulates that “every parent shall ensure that his child or ward attends and completes his primary school education and junior secondary school education by endeavouring to send the child to primary and junior secondary schools.”

“The Act further states that stakeholders in education in a local government area shall ensure that every parent or person who has the care and custody of a child performs the duty imposed on him under section 2(2) of this Act.”

Failure to abide by the recommendations of the bill, defaulting parents would be liable, on the first conviction, to be reprimanded.

Read also: Senate gets Buhari’s Bills to reposition secondary education, establish health university

“On a second conviction, a fine of N2,000 or imprisonment for a term of one month or both; and on subsequent conviction, to a fine of N5,000 or imprisonment for a term of two months or to both,” the bill said.

On amendment, the Senate, proposed fines running up to N50,000 instead of the N5,000 previously stated in the Act.

The amendment states that “Section (4) (b) of the Principal Act is amended by deleting N2,000 and inserting N20,000. Section (4) (c) of the Principal Act is amended by deleting N5,000 and inserting N50,000.

“Section 3(2) of the Principal Act is amended by deleting N10,000 and inserting N100,000.

“A person who receives or obtains any fee contrary to the provisions of subsection (1) of this section commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding N10,000 or imprisonment for a term of three months or to both.

“Every parent shall ensure that his child receives full-time education suitable to his age, ability and aptitude by regular attendance at schools”.

However, the Senate proposes, N100,000 in replacement of the N10,000.

“Section 3(2) of the Principal Act is amended by deleting N10,000 and inserting N100,000,” the proposed bill stipulated.

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